The statue of Tom Brady has at long last been unveiled. In honor of this, the Hall has put together a new exhibit (up through January 2026) that shows you the process of how such a statue gets made. For those who cannot visit, below is information about the sculptor and his process.
The 199th pick in an NFL Draft is announced without pomp or circumstance. Earning backup quarterback status in season 2 isn’t met with a duck boat parade. So when the unheralded Tom Brady trotted onto the field late in the 2001 season’s second game, the mood was more dire than celebratory. No one knew what was to come.
That was then. Now? Seven Super Bowl championships, franchise and NFL records, indelible memories and absolute greatness define his football career.
Throughout that career, he was honored with All-Pro selections, Pro Bowls, Most Valuable Player trophies, and a red Patriots Hall of Fame jacket – career accolades that fill trophy shelves and make a closet look dapper.
But forging Brady’s greatness required more. It needed a permanent “Patriot” place for parents to visit with their children to share Brady’s legacy. It called for a different kind of trophy – a 12-foot high version too big for a shelf, but perfect for a plaza visible from the hallowed Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX.
Appropriately, Brady is the first Patriots player to be lionized with a bronze statue in Foxborough. The team chose local sculptor and lifelong Patriots fan Jeff Buccacio to fabricate that statue for the NFL’s most decorated player.
“This is Tom Brady,” Buccacio said, “and I was tasked with the job of trying to give the fans something they could hang their hat on every year when they come here. They can tell their kids and their grandkids the story of this legend. So I [was] nervous.”
His job was certainly monumental. Brady is an icon. He is among the most prominent figures in local sports lore. Buccacio’s work will be judged by the masses so one would have to forgive him for being nervous about the project. One judge with some clout visited to see the finished product.
“Mr. Kraft was in here with Bon Jovi and his son, Dan, and they told me I did a good job. Mr. Kraft gave me a fist bump and a big hug. That eased my stress a little bit,” Buccacio admitted.
This project was quite different from the many others on which he has worked because he is a lifelong, passionate Patriots fan – a love passed down from his late father, which made it more personal for the sculptor.
“I grew up with the New England Patriots,” he began. “My dad used to take me to games when they couldn’t give tickets away. My dad was a diehard. So I have a lot of incredible memories around that. Being able to do something like this, with regards to my dad, is really important on a personal level.”
The subject of this statue also added meaning for the artist.
“When I’m given a subject, I do my best to understand who that subject is and what the statue is supposed to represent. This was really important to me because it became so much more than just a man in a football uniform. It was a man walking through life learning from his successes and failures. That’s authentic.
“This was a personal passion that guided me. Everybody grew up watching [Brady’s] face, his expressions. The many faces of Tom Brady. To work with all that through the years and try to accomplish something that would land with the fans was a big responsibility,” Buccacio added.
Brady’s Patriots legacy is found in moments that live forever – a game-winning drive, a clutch throw, an incredible comeback, hoisting a Lombardi Trophy and even a trot onto the field to replace an injured starter. Everyone has different moments to recall his greatness.
“My favorite Tom Brady moment is that pass to [Julian] Edelman [in Super Bowl LI]. Pure magic. Never give up. I get goosebumps because I can still remember the moment. But beyond that, my favorite moment is right now. When Tom Brady was asked about his favorite Super Bowl ring, he always answered, ‘the next one.’ So my favorite moment is the next one because this isn’t just about what he accomplished on the field, but also what he’s accomplished after football.
“We got to witness something that may never happen again,” Buccacio continued. “We were given a gift by the 199th pick and he [learned] lessons through his wins, his losses and his break evens. That’s what I hope people take away from this. There is a lot for all of us to learn.”
One thing learned is that Brady changed what it means to be the 199th pick. He perpetually provides hope for the player annually selected in that spot. He also helped provide Patriots fans with six duck boat parades and enough pomp and circumstance to last a lifetime.
Now that lifetime is indelibly recognized, forged in bronze and celebrated forever.
